1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement or structure for mounting an arm rest in an automotive seat, and is particularly directed to an arm rest structure which avoids a clearance between a seat back and arm rest, which is created in such an automotive seat wherein the arm rest is rotatably pivoted on the curved or obliquely formed lateral surface of the seat back.
2. Description of Prior Art
In a hitherto automotive seat with a rotatable arm rest of such structure wherein the arm rest is rotatably mounted by a support rod to the curved or obliquely formed lateral surface of the seat back, it has been found that a defective clearance is created between the arm rest and such uneven lateral surface of the seat back, which exposes a view of the support rod through the junction between the arm rest and seat back, presenting an objectionable point in the aesthetic appearance of the seat.
To alleviate this problem, there has been known such conventional arm rest arrangement as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which a collar (3') is provided between an arm rest (a') and a curved lateral wall (51') of a seat back (SB'). The collar (3') is attached to a support rod (1') in a freely rotatable way such as to be interposed between the arm rest (a') and the curved lateral wall (51'), as a means for concealing the support rod (1') from external view.
However, as shown, the collar (3') is formed merely in a thin or low cylindrical shape, and as a result, during vertical rotation of the arm rest (a') relative to the curved lateral wall (51') of the seat back (SB'), as can be seen from FIG. 1, the support rod (1') is still exposed partially to view between the curved lateral wall (51') and collar (3'). Stated more precisely, the cross-section length of such cylindrical collar (3') presents a rectilinear lateral line with respect to the outwardly, curved arc of the lateral wall (51') of the seat back (SB'). This arc is so formed as to extend in a direction from a rear wall (52') to a front wall (53') of the seat (SB') as viewed from FIG. 1, and as such a clearance (W) is still created between the collar (3') and the lateral wall (51'), giving an objectionable view of the support rod (1) in the seat.
Additionally, due to the rotatability of the collar (3'), the contact between the collar (3') and either of the lateral wall (51') and the inner wall of the arm rest (a') causes a tear or cracking flaw on those wall areas, which also impairs the appearance of the seat.